IF the hapless Sven-Goran Eriksson is considering an alternative career after his reign as England coach ends, perhaps he should think about becoming a quizmaster.

Ever since he moved into his luxurious office in Soho Square five years ago, Eriksson - via his team selections and formations - has continued to set questions that the rest of the nation have been unable to fathom.

All the while, beneath those rimless glasses and vacant smile, Eriksson has looked like only he knows the answers and has enjoyed watching his critics try to work out his riddles.

But, following another wretched performance at the World Cup finals, there is one poser that even this aloof Swede will be struggling to work out at this moment in time: What has happened to Michael Owen?

As he trudged off the field in Nuremburg last night having only once threatened to breach Trinidad & Tobago's well-drilled defence, Owen looked a pale shadow of his former lethal self.

The weight of the world appeared to be resting on his shoulders.

A striker to lead England all the way to glory in Berlin on July 9? Hardly.

On the evidence of recent weeks, it is reputation rather than achievement keeping the 26-year-old in the starting XI at present.

Tentatively feeling his way back after breaking a foot on December 31, Owen looks chronically short of confidence, fitness and belief.

Out of sorts and out of form, some would describe him as a liability, a passenger in a side that can't carry dead weight.

Given his history of scoring crucial goals on the biggest stages, that would be unfair, but there can be no dispute that a player once of Anfield is suffering.

Owen needs an armaround his shoulder and to be taken out of the firing line.

Maybe, now that progress to the knockout stages has been secured, he will get it.

Surely Eriksson will give Wayne Rooney 90 minutes against Sweden next Tuesday alongside Peter Crouch now the most famous metatarsal in the land has healed?

It is the kind of decision, however, that Eriksson has skirted away from in the past and it would not be in the least bit surprising if Crouch was axed for the final group match in Cologne. Owen, after all, is one of his blue-eyed boys.

A manager who has consistently selected his favourites, he is the reason whyEngland's assault on the greatest prizein football is labouring towards a miserable conclusion.

Let's not kid ourselves.

Never mind that David Beck-ham says England's slow start means they will hit top form in the latter stages.

Once they face a side possessing flair and guile - Holland, Argentina, the Czech Republic, Brazil, Italy, Spain - England will be coming home.

Why? As the disappointed Trinidad coach Leo Beenhakker suggested after the final whistle, England were "predictable". You couldn't argue.

How many world class saves did Shaka Hislop make to keep Trinidad in the game? Exactly.

On paper, it looked amismatch. The reality was different.

Had John Terry not made a spectacular clearance late in the first half, England would have faced their greatest embarrassment since the United States humbled them in 1950.

Eriksson's response to a half-time blank? Get the ball to Beckham and hoof long balls in for Crouch to get on the end of.

Owen might not be able to buy a goal but the tactics don't help one bit. Howhe must crave a slide rule pass to scamper after.

So many gifted players are suffocating in atactical strait-jacket, none more so than his central midfielders.

The gripe about Steven Gerrard not being given his rampaging Liverpool role is a depressingly familiar one.

But why can't the myopic Eriksson see that he needs to build his team around this awesome talent?

No wonder he looked to the heavens as the net bulged. Toooften he was seen tracking back, making those lung-bursting runs in stamina-sapping heat yet even at the end he was there to put the gloss on qualification.

In contrast, take Frank Lampard's contribution. How many chances did he fluff? Four? Five? How many attacks did you see him launch? One? Two at the most?

There must be a way to get the best out of them but Eriksson doesn't know it.

Talking of sticking with favourites, what about Beckham?

Why on earth did he finish the game as a right-back in place of Jamie Carragher? Would the same fate have befallen Gary Neville?

Aaron Lennon was the right substitute but the wrong player made way.

On the periphery for most of the match, the skipper got out of jail with a magnificent ball onto Crouch's head for the 82nd minute breakthrough, yet it did not disguise Eriksson's disgraceful treatment of one of Anfield's favourite sons.

Poor man-management, poor tactics, poor decision-making. Eriksson may insist that England are moving through the gears smoothly, but efforts against Paraguay and Trinidad & Tobago suggest otherwise. On this evidence, his bluff has been called.